Alton Towers rapped by advertising standards agency after commercial saying visitors could get a free day if the weather affected the rides failed to mention it had to rain for an HOUR to be valid
Alton Towers have been rapped on the knuckles by an advertising standards agency after telling punters they would get a free day in the park if weather affected the rides on offer – without mentioning it had to rain for an hour to be valid.
The ‘rainy day guarantee’ was deemed ‘misleading’ by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) after a customer complained about the one hour of rain term which the advert failed to mention.
The ad offered thrill-seekers with qualifying tickets a free return visit if the weather had affected the park’s ‘ride offering’.
However, a customer was told they did not qualify because it had not rained for a continuous hour. The punter then brought their grievance to the ASA.
The agency ruled Alton Towers had breached regulations, having not made that ‘significant limitation’ clear in the ad.
The advert offered punters a free day if the weather affected the rides on offer in the park. Pictured: The advert in question
In the wake of the ASA ruling, the theme park has removed the ad from its website and launched a review into how the guarantee will be offered when it returns next year.
It is understood that as part of that review, Alton Towers – which did say they will work with their sister attractions to ensure similar offers are advertised consistently.
The ASA’s report reads: ‘We considered that the requirement for there to be at least one hour of continuous rain for the guarantee to be invoked was a significant limitation to the guarantee that should have been made clear in the ad.
‘We also considered that the ad omitted information regarding how a “rainy day” under the guarantee was declared and for how long rides needed to be out of operation for in order for the guarantee to be invoked, which we considered was material information likely to affect a consumer’s understanding of how the guarantee worked.
‘Because the ad omitted that information, we concluded that it was misleading. We welcomed Alton Towers Resort’s assurance that they were reviewing their advertising in relation to the Rainy Day Guarantee.
The ‘rainy day guarantee’ was deemed ‘misleading’ by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) after a customer complained
‘The ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 and 3.3 (Misleading advertising), 3.9 (Qualification) and 3.54 (Guarantees and after-sales service).’
An Alton Towers Resort spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We acknowledge the ruling from the ASA regarding the advertisement of our Rainy Day Guarantee. We take compliance with ASA regulations very seriously and upon notification of the complaint took immediate steps to remove the offer from our website, so that we can fully review how it is communicated.
‘We are committed to providing our guests with memorable experiences and we acknowledge the weather can sometimes plays a role in this.
‘We are committed to bringing back our Rainy Day Guarantee, ensuring it meets ASA guidelines and has clear and consistent criteria and information for our guests ahead of opening season in 2024.’
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